For many people, sailing and spending time out on the water is the ultimate leisure pursuit, for others, it is part of their job. Whether you are a complete beginner hoping to find your sea legs for the first time, or a salty sea dog keen to build new skills and experience, there are RYA Training Centres on the island who can help you to achieve your goals via fun & challenging training in the stunning surroundings of the beautiful Balearic Islands. Whether you want to learn to sail a dinghy or move onto something bigger like a cruising yacht, there is a RYA training course designed for you. These courses will equip you with the skills and learning to be confident out at sea, whether in your own boat or a charter yacht.

There is no doubt about it, sailing is fun and it is difficult to beat the thrill of skimming across the water powered by the wind in your sails. However, it is not for everyone. Sailing can be quite physical involving lots of rope work, it can also be quite tricky to master. Many people prefer motorboating, it is less physical, not reliant on wind conditions and usually a lot faster than sailing. Sea schools on the island run a number of courses for those who enjoy motorboating, ranging from an introduction to motor cruising for complete beginners to advanced pilotage to Yachtmaster. As a starter, we recommend the Powerboat Level 2 course. After just 2 days and if you pass the course, you are legal to drive a powerboat such as a Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIB) or any kind of sports boat up to 10m in length.

There’s a lot more to boating than just parking a rib, or coming alongside, or stowing a line. There is also quite a lot of theory involved ranging from the Essential Navigation & Seamanship course all the way up to Yachtmaster Ocean, Celestial Navigation. There are plenty of places online where you can do these courses; however many people prefer the classroom environment learning with others. There are also many publications; which will help you study for and pass the RYA theory parts of these courses such as: RYA Navigation Handbook, RYA Navigation Exercises, RYA Weather Handbook, RYA Sail Cruising Log Book, RYA Motor Cruising Log Book, RYA Manual of Seamanship by Tom Cunliffe, Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road by JWW Ford and Yachtmaster for Sail and Power by Alison Noice.

The RYA Yachtmaster qualification is a highly prized certificate of competence proving the ability of the holder to handle either a motor boat or sailing boat in certain prescribed conditions. RYA Training is carried out in more than 20 countries and currently there are around 13,000 professional yacht crew working on commercial vessels around the world using RYA Certificates of Competence. When commercially endorsed, Yachtmaster licences provide significant privileges and for many sailors, the Yachtmaster Offshore or Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence are the ultimate aim and a required step on the way to a Deck Officer career.

Via recognised training centres around the world, the RYA run a series of one-day specialist support courses designed to expand your knowledge and skills in specialist areas. Some of these courses, such as the Marine Radio Short Range Certificate, are a pre-requisite for higher qualifications such as the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence.

As professional yacht crew, Powerboat & PWC courses are important as these qualifications are required by most Captains. The two-day, entry level Powerboat Level 2 course provides the skills and background knowledge needed to drive a powerboat and is the basis of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC). Whether you just want to have a go on holiday or buy your own machine, the Personal Watercraft course will teach you how to get the best from it. The course is designed for first time and experienced riders alike. Increasingly the certificate is required for launching in UK harbours, but is also needed if you want to use your PW abroad.